Art Show Rules
This is long. Please read the rules carefully. All Artists (a.k.a Exhibitors) participating in the Further Confusion Art Show and Auction agree to all of the following rules.
If there are any questions or concerns, please contact us at artshow@furtherconfusion.org before requesting Art Show space!
REMINDERS
All mail-in artwork must have a prepaid return shipping label for any unsold artwork. (See “Mail-in Art Submissions” section below…).
All mail-in artwork must include a layout in which pieces and bid sheets fit on the panel and do not overlap with each other. (See “Mail-in Art Submissions” section below…).
Please ensure that your artwork complies with the “Trademarked / Copyrighted / Well Known Characters” policy.
Convention Membership
Every artist displaying and/or selling art at the Further Confusion Art Show must be a paid member of the current Further Confusion event. See the registration page.
For artists that will not be able to join us in person at Further Confusion in January, we offer a “Non-Attending / Supporting” membership.
Non-Attending/Supporting members are allowed to mail-in art to be displayed and include in sales and auction.
Mail-in art must be received on or before two weeks prior to our event start date to be considered for display. See Mail-in Art Submissions below for details.
Panels and Table Spaces
The Art Show is divided into two sections: General Audience and Adult Audience, each of which has two space options, panels and 3D tables.
- Art Show panels are 4 feet high by 4 feet wide (1.2m x 1.2m)
- 3D table spaces are 2.5 feet deep by 4 feet wide (0.76m x 1.2m)
Artists showing in person or with an agent may request as many panels and/or 3D table spaces as desired; however, space will be assigned by Art Show staff based on availability. Mail-in artists may only request up to 6 panels and may not request table space. Artists will be notified of their panel assignments on or before December 26th, 2024. After the initial assignments have been processed, remaining Art Show space will be apportioned on a first-come, first-served basis to the public at the convention.
If multiple artists wish to display next to each other, both parties should email artshow@furtherconfusion.org no later than one week (7 days) after they’ve registered and paid for their Art Show space.
Artists may share panel space under a single registration if they so choose. Payment to artists who share a registration will be made to one artist only, and dividing up the payment is that artist’s responsibility, not that of the Further Confusion Art Show or Anthropomorphic Arts and Education, Inc.
The Further Confusion Art Show reserves the right to refuse service or display privileges to anyone without prior notice or comment.
Pricing (per each space, USD)
| Space Type | Half | Full |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Art Panels | $7.50 | $15.00 |
| 3D Table Space | $12.50 | $25.00 |
Artist Payments and Commission
In addition to the fees for reserving panels and/or tables, Further Confusion collects a ten percent (10%) commission on all art sold. Additionally, we also collect sales tax (currently 9.375% in the city of San Jose, CA). The Art Show will not withhold income tax or other taxes. These taxes are the sole responsibility of the artist.
In accordance with California law, the artist will be provided on request with the names and addresses of the purchasers of their art. Payment to the artist will be made by check in US dollars within forty-five (45) days of the close of the convention.
At-Con Artist Check-In / Post-Con Artist Pick-Up
Art may not be displayed until the artist has checked in with the Art Show staff and their paperwork verified. The Art Show panels are pegboards. Hanging hooks and clips will be provided.
Once a piece is entered in the Art Show, the terms of sale (minimum bid, not-for-sale status, etc.) may not be changed. It may not be removed from the Art Show until after the Art Show has closed. A piece is considered to be entered from the moment a bid sheet has been placed by it at the panel or table. Artists may add pieces to the Art Show as late as 12pm on Saturday.
Tags
Every piece of art displayed in the Art Show must have a tag attached to the back, with the artist’s name, the title of the piece, and the medium. This is in addition to the bid sheet, and is necessary in case the bid sheet is separated from the art. We will provide stickers with this information pre-printed at check-in. The template for these will also be available on request for mail-in artists to print them at home.
Bid Sheet
Every piece of art displayed in the Art Show must have a bid sheet, even if the piece is not being offered for sale via auction. In such cases, “not for sale” will be written on the bid sheet. We will provide the bid sheets at check-in. A preview, to check formatting, is available after entering the information for a piece in the online portal.
Cancellation and Forfeiture
Panels may be cancelled at any time. Artists are requested to inform the Art Show as soon as they know they will not use a panel.
Refunds for Panel and/or Table Space will be issued until Panel/Table assignment occurs at the end of December. After Panel/Table assignments have been made, refunds will not be made.
Unless prior arrangements have been made with Further Confusion Art Show staff, artists who do not claim their assigned space(s) by Noon (12pm) on the Friday of the convention will forfeit those spaces. There will be no refunds for forfeited spaces.
Art Show Content and Display Guidelines
Further Confusion is a special-interest fan convention and, likewise, our Art Show is also special-interest. The majority of an artist’s displayed work must prominently feature the themes of anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic characters (animals with human characteristics), theriomorphic characters (humans with animal characteristics), wildlife, or creatures within science fiction and fantasy themes.
Artwork in the General Audience section must be suitable for all ages. Frontal nudity, obvious sexual contact (even if the genitalia are not visible), extreme violence, and depictions of controlled substance use must be displayed in the Adult Audience section.
If any art that falls under the Adult Art category winds up in the General Audience section, the artists will be asked to purchase Adult Art space (if available) and move their artwork there. If Adult Art space is not available, the artist will need to either censor the art piece or take it down. If you have any concerns, please contact Art Show staff to clarify the rating level for specific pieces.
Trademarked / Copyrighted / Well Known Characters
Characters that are subject to trademark or copyright (“fanart”), or that are the well-known property of somebody other than the displaying artist may not be shown without written proof of permission from the holder of the trademark or copyright, or the creator of the character. All trademarked, copyrighted, or well-known characters must be credited appropriately.
Defamation / Parody
Artwork that defames any living person, trademarked or copyrighted property, or well-known fictional character may not be displayed. Parody may be allowed at the discretion of Art Show staff who will make the determination if a piece is mere parody or defamation.
Firearms
Functional firearms, no matter how artistic, may not be displayed.
Banned Subject Matter
- Depictions of sexual contact between humans and non-anthropomorphic animals.
- Depictions of minors in any sexual situation or extreme violence against minors.
- Depictions that can be considered a direct threat against another person.
- Depictions that may otherwise be considered legally actionable.
Decisions regarding suitability of theme and content are the sole discretion of the Further Confusion Art Show Lead.
Prints, Paper Crafts, and 3D Art
The Further Confusion Art Show requires that all prints be of a limited run and labeled as such. There must be something special about the print that distinguishes it from prints sold at your Dealer’s Room table or displayed at other shows. No more than one print of any given piece may be displayed in the Further Confusion Art Show.
Additionally, California State Law requires the following information be provided with prints:
- A print from a limited print run must be numbered, along with the size of the print run (e.g. “5 of 20″).
- The method of printing must be given (lithograph, giclée, etc.).
- If the print was made from a plate (such as a lithograph), and the plate has been destroyed, the date of the plate’s destruction must be given.
Paper crafts and 3D Art must be one of a kind or that of a limited run and labeled as such.
Flat Art
All flat art must be mounted or matted; artists may not simply hang a piece of paper with a drawing on it. Exceptions may be made for original comic book pages on Bristol board and paintings on stretched canvases.
Small flat artwork should be framed or shrink-wrapped. Artwork composed of smudge-prone media (pencils, pastels, etc.) should be protected with fixative or otherwise protected from accidental damage. The Art Show is not responsible for damage caused to artwork by hanging or by the art’s fragility.
Art Show Bidding / Sales Silent Auction
Pieces on display at the Further Confusion Art Show are generally offered for silent auction, but this is not required. Pieces may be labeled as “Not for Sale”, if desired.
Voice Auction
A piece with six (6) bids will go to voice auction. If no additional bids are made at the voice auction the piece will be offered to the last silent bidder.
Direct Sale (“Buy Now”)
Artists have the option of allowing pieces to be sold immediately during the show without going through the auction process. This is done by providing a price in the “Buy Now” field when registering the piece online. If a piece has no bids on it, a bidder may elect to purchase the piece immediately at the “Buy Now” price. We strongly suggest that the “Buy Now” price be substantially higher than the minimum bid price. Artists who do not wish to provide a “Buy Now” price may leave this field blank when registering their pieces. A piece for which the “Buy Now” price has been met will remain on display until the close of the Art Show, and may be picked up with the rest of purchased artwork on Sunday.
Unsold Artwork
Unsold artwork may be retrieved from the Art Show on Sunday and Monday during the published Art Show Pick-Up times (See Schedule). Any other arrangements (such as mail-in art) must be made ahead of time with the Art Show staff or a penalty equal to ten percent (10%) of the minimum bid plus actual shipping charges may be assessed.
Mail-in Art Submissions
If an artist is unable to attend the convention in person and cannot send an agent to manage their pieces in their stead, they may mail-in their pieces to be hung by the Art Show Staff.
Mail-in art submissions are accepted for up to 6 panels worth of flat artwork only. Due to concerns with fragility and special handling needs, 3D artwork may not be mailed-in. If 3D artwork is mailed in, it will not be displayed and will be returned at the artist’s expense.
Artists must provide an illustration of the desired layout of their pieces on the panels. The layout must leave room for bid sheets beside each piece (4¼" x 5½"). Bid sheets and pieces may not overlap each other, or hang off the edges of the panels.
All mail-In submissions must include a prepaid return shipping label.
Mail-in art submissions must be received by the Further Confusion Art Show no later than two (2) weeks before the start of the convention to ensure that it will be displayed (January 2nd, 2024).
Mail-in art submissions may be sent to:
Further Confusion Art Show
PMB 236
105 Serra Way
Milpitas, CA 95035
Mail-in art submissions that do not sell will be returned at the end of show in the same container in which they were received. Please pack mail-in art submissions in a sturdy, well-padded container that can be reused and include a return-shipping label. Artists will be charged an additional fee if new packing supplies need to be purchased on the artist’s behalf to ship any unsold work back to the artist.
Do not include a check for return shipping as this will be deducted from an artist’s sales. If insufficient sales are made to cover the cost of return shipping, Art Show staff will reach out to the artist to work out shipping costs.
We strongly recommend insurance for all mail-in art submissions. The Further Confusion Art Show does not accept responsibility for damaged artwork due to shipping, whether sending or receiving, and does not accept responsibility for damages due to hanging or unsuitable matting or framing. Make sure that all art is well-matted or well-framed. Make sure the back-of-art labels are actually attached to the art pieces so we know which is which!
Liability & Legalese
The exhibitor agrees to protect, keep, and save Anthropomorphic Arts and Education, Inc. d/b/a Further Confusion forever harmless from any damage(s) or charge(s) imposed for violations of any law or ordinance by any exhibitor, their employees or agents, as well for failure to comply with the terms and agreements. The exhibitor shall at all times protect, indemnify, save and keep harmless Further Confusion against and from any loss, cost, damage, liability or expense which arises out of or by reason of any act or omission of exhibitor, their employees or agents. The laws of the State of California and the United States of America will govern all matters concerning the exhibition of artwork at Further Confusion. In the event that any portion of this agreement is held to be unenforceable or invalid, the rest of the agreement shall remain in effect.